


A Well Tended Garden

by Narcissisticpeacock



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Just Dad Stuff, Kidnapping, Misunderstandings, Shoreline (Uncharted), girls kissin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-09 01:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17397350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narcissisticpeacock/pseuds/Narcissisticpeacock
Summary: Chloe is excited to meet her partner's father, but Nadine has been acting cold and seems like she'd rather it not happen. When Shoreline gets in the mix, it's not really their choice anymore.





	A Well Tended Garden

**Author's Note:**

> I have been writing this... for six months. I wrote it, then rewrote it.  
> So here it finally is!  
> I've, been dragged into Far Cry hell but. here's more Chlodine.  
> Oh, a cameo by another great character in this too, but from a crappy-ish game.  
> anyway, i love Nadine's dad and I can't see her having a horrible dad or one that doesn't show he cares just from how she acts.

Chloe stifles a yawn and rolls her shoulders. Nadine offers over her backpack as she takes their suitcases herself. She looks up at the display board. There's a tension that practically ripples through her body. Chloe appreciates the definition of her biceps, the obvious strength in her shoulders, but she's not happy her partner seems so nervous.

They’re in the Johannesburg airport on their way to meet Nadine’s father, Thato Ross. Chloe’s a bit nervous, but at the same time, she looks forward to meeting the man who raised her partner.

"Something on your mind, China?"

Nadine seems to ignore the question. Instead, she offers an excuse. "We got in late. We might've missed the bus."

Chloe purses her lips, deciding not to bother. "When's the next one?"

Nadine shrugs. "I've got the schedule in the bag." She gestures to the bag she's just passed off.

Chloe unhooks one strap from her shoulder and digs into the bag with one hand. Nadine starts off towards the exit, making a path through the crowd for Chloe to follow.

Chloe frowns. Nadine has been like this for days. The warmth Chloe was so used to had dissipated more than a week prior, being replaced with a cold sort of professionalism that Chloe doesn't care for. Her crappy jokes no longer get that cute little grin. Flirting is only met with deadpan responses. Where Chloe could once be open with her physical affection, Nadine seems to spurn her now. Or at the very least, she doesn’t react.

It hurts. Nadine is her closest friend. Hell, she's her damned best friend.  And that's ignoring the fact that Chloe is ridiculously attracted to the woman.

"We've got twenty minutes before the next bus," Chloe reads out. “That’s time enough to grab some food. I’m starving.”

“Ja. Sounds good--” she cuts off as her phone goes off in her packet. “Ah. Pop’s calling.”

“Tell him I say hi,” Chloe comments.

Nadine answers. “Goeie dag, toppie--” She tenses. "Who is this?" she demands in an even, angry voice.  
  
Chloe frowns. Obviously, it's not the mysterious Thato Ross on the phone.  
  
She watches as the tension solidifies Nadine's body. It seems to flood her, making each muscle flex to their limit. Her shoulders seem to broaden, her fingers go pale at their grip on her phone. How it hasn't snapped in her hand is a mystery.  
  
And just like that, Nadine hangs up. She practically snarls at the phone before shoving it in her pocket.  
  
"We need to go. Now. We're renting a car." She marches off without so much as a glance at Chloe.  
  
"Nadine--" Chloe starts, grabbing up their suitcases and heading after her. "What's going on?"  
  
"They took him," Nadine hisses low. "They fucking took my father."  
  
"Who?" Chloe implores. Nadine is almost moving too fast for her.  
  
"Shoreline."

* * *

Time seems to pass too slow, but also entirely too fast. Nadine is near silent, almost as if she’s reverted to her Shoreline days. A quiet leader.

Chloe understands it, but she hates it. Nadine isn’t in Shoreline anymore. She’s Chloe’s partner and she’s no military general. It’s selfish, but Chloe doesn’t want Nadine like this. She wants her Nadine.

Nadine has been fixated on her phone the last twenty minutes. Finally, she shoves it away. “They’re in the Karoo,” she says suddenly. “They didn’t turn off pops’ phone… I’ve got access to his GPS. They’re in the Karoo.”

They’re standing, waiting for a cab. They need a four by four and they need it now. Nadine already knows where to get one, she’s already called, it’s waiting for them, but the cab just isn’t here yet.

“The Karoo?” Chloe asks quietly.

"The Karoo is a desert. The coordinates are for somewhere in greater Karoo. We're stopping in Carnarvon for supplies before we head south."  
  
"Did they want something for him? In exchange?"

Nadine's frown is set in her face. “Me.”

“Well, they can’t have you!” Chloe says suddenly. Loudly. She gulps. “They can’t have you.”

Nadine looks up at her. Her lovely brown eyes are just starting to tear up. “He’s my father, Chloe.”

Chloe just about breaks at her tone. “I know… I know, love.” She reaches out and touches the side of her face. “We’ll get him back. But if they think they can take you from me? They’ve got another thing coming.”

Nadine’s jaw is set, but she softens a bit at Chloe’s words. It’s only a touch, but it’s a good sign.

The cab shows up and Nadine pulls away from her.

“We need to move. Carnarvon for supplies. Then we go for him.”

* * *

 

The Karoo, Chloe finds out, is disgustingly hot.

Carnarvon is barely more than a village in upper karoo. They make their way to a small, well-tended house on the outskirts. A dog jumps up as they pull their 4x4 in front. A Rottweiler, by the looks. It’s ears and tail remain undocked, the sign of an animal lover.

Nadine hops out without hesitation. She clicks her tongue at the dog. “You’re getting old, Jedda.”

The dog stops barking and trots up to her happily.

“She’s still got her bite,” comes a voice. Chloe is surprised to recognize an Australian accent. It’s a woman who’s emerged from the house. She’s a few inches taller than Chloe but with a muscle mass comparable to Nadine. Scars and tattoos cover the dark skin of her muscled arms. Dark hair in tight dreads falls to about chin length and she looks thoroughly cranky.

Nadine stands from where she’d knelt by the dog. “Jackson.”

“Ross,” comes the response. “You’re lucky I’m here. I’ll be headed north in a couple days.”

“I need supplies. The usual.”

The woman, Jackson, raises an eyebrow. “Right to the point then. What’s on?”

“Family trouble,” comes Nadine’s short reply. “The usual will work for her too if you throw in a shotgun in.”

Jackson’s eyes flash up to Chloe, who’s hopped out of the car. The dog, Jedda, approaches her cautiously. Jackson says a short word in a language Chloe doesn’t know and the dog turns friendly. While it’s made the pup relax, Chloe isn’t ignorant that there’s undoubtedly a command that can do the opposite. Jedda is a guard dog, after all.

“Your girl?” Jackson asks.

Nadine flushes and shakes her head. “My partner. New business venture, you could say.”

“Good to meet you.” Chloe extends a hand, ignoring the implication of a relationship. She should be so lucky. “Chloe Frazer.”

Jackson shakes her hand with a firm grip. “Don’t find many Australians here,” she comments.

A shrug. “Ah, I don’t know. You can find plenty of Australians in Carnarvon. Just maybe not this one.” She’s referring to the Carnarvon in Western Australia. The shared name is no doubt do to imperialization.

“I prefer this one. Besides, I’m from Penrith, but I lived in Sydney for a good bit. Different end of Australia.” She turns her attention to Nadine again. “I’ve got what you need. You two can come on in.”

They follow the woman in, and Chloe gets to glimpse the tattoos that must stretch across her back under her tank top. She seems every bit as formidable as Nadine, but nowhere near as warm. Or, well, as warm as Nadine _usually_ is.

“I've heard rumors, you know. Well, bit more than that. About your company.” Jackson leads them down some stairs and into a basement made pantry.

“Not my company,” Nadine practically spits. “Only company I keep now is Frazer. Shoreline can fuck itself. I'm waiting for the day it finally dies.”

Chloe is both flattered at the mention and annoyed at how Nadine has spoken if she weren't in the room. It's just how she's been lately, but at least some sort of recognition. Could be worse. Could be much better though.

Jackson seems unsurprised by the response. “Some fuckwit tried to use me as a connection for weapons trading. Some sea cow or something.”

Chloe snorts. “Orca.”

“Right. I told him to fuck off. Hate working with people like him anyway. He seemed the type to double cross.”

“You could say that.”

Jackson stops them in the far corner of the room. She rolls her shoulders once before shoving her shoulder against one of the shelves she's got against a wall. It takes some effort but she reveals the entrance to another room. She flicks the lights on to show a small room with a couple of guns hanging on the walls. Lining one wall are gun crates.

“You've downsized,” Nadine comments.

A shrug. “Like I said. I'm heading north soon. I've got a new business venture of my own. Besides, I've still got what you need.”

Jackson goes for a crate two back. It's well packaged, but she pulls two handguns from it. She sets them on the table and goes to another crate.

Nadine picks up a pistol, quick to examine it. She aims down the barrel, removes the clip and replaces it. Once satisfied, she moves into the next one. The first is passed to Chloe, who takes her own look at it.

“I've got revolvers too if you prefer,” Jackson comments as she watches Chloe. Six boxes of ammo are placed on the table.

“Pistols work fine, thanks. I prefer the bigger clip.”

“Bigger isn’t always better-- as long as you know what you’re doing,” Jackson quips back.

Chloe blinks, surprised. Has she just received some sort of line from the woman? It sounds like it, or close enough. She grins back. “Oh, I know how to use both, sweetheart. But may as well stick with what I like best, no?”

The woman chuckles.

Chloe glances at Nadine out of the corner of her eye. She’s inspecting a rifle she’s taken out of a crate. She’s either ignoring Chloe’s flirting, or she’s not even paying attention. Chloe wonders, for a moment, if she should flirt harder. Would Nadine get jealous? Chloe just wants her to go back to how they were; close, friendly, and just… easy. A relationship that was simple, comfortable, warm, all with a possibility at more.

Shame floods Chloe. She’s seriously considering trying to make Nadine jealous? When her father’s been taken by Shoreline? She’s disgusted with herself. Her friend needs help, not more issues. All this shit, the bullshit Chloe is dealing with, can wait until they get Thato back from Shoreline. She’ll sit down with Nadine and get her to talk. She’s tired of Nadine acting cold, so she’ll face her fears and actually communicate.

For now, she’ll focus on the task at hand.

So she decides to stop flirting.

“Holsters where they usually are?” Nadine asks.

Jackson nods. “Yeah.”

Nadine gestures to Chloe. “Set her up with a shotgun, if you could. I’ll grab the holsters.” She disappears back out the doorway, leaving her partner alone with the gun seller.

“Bigger better in the shotgun sense too?” Jackson asks with a small smirk.

Chloe bites back an equally flirty reply. Instead, she focuses on guns. “I didn’t use to be so shotgun oriented, but I haven’t worked enough with Nadine to be acceptable with rifles-- according to her, at least.”

“No preference then?”

“Whatever you think works best.”

Jackson examines her for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.  After a moment she moves towards another crate. She pulls a lengthy shotgun from it and places it on the table. She goes to another and pulls out a much smaller, triple-barrelled shotgun from it. It’s placed next to the first.

“Your choice,” Jackson speaks, indicating the guns. “Remington or my custom build.”

Chloe tilts her head. Her curiosity has been piqued by the shorter gun. She picks it up and examines it. It’s got three short barrels and a good weight to it. There’s light detailing to the handle which fits well into the palm of Chloe’s hand.

“You made this?”

“Modified a chiappa,” Jackson responds. “A woman who hires me commissioned one from me. I make them occasionally now because of the price they pull.”

Chloe runs a hand down the barrel. “What do you call it?”

“The woman who bought the original calls it a hydra.”

She hums. “Hydra… The many-headed immortal monster from the marshes of Lerna. And one of the twelve tasks of Heracles. A good name.”

“Suppose that’s why she named it that way.”

It’s as Chloe’s eyeing the gun that Jackson speaks up again. “I could be mistaken, but, ah… did I get a line back from you? Or am I imagining things?”

The treasure hunter raises her eyebrows. She not used to women being this blunt.

Jackson seems regretful that she’s said anything. “Sorry. I thought-- well, doesn’t matter.”

Chloe chuckles. “No, no. You got one back, I just… decided I shouldn’t.”

“Any reason?”

She glances at the door.

Jackson tilts her head. “Thought you two weren’t a thing?”

Chloe sighs and shrugs. “I’d like it to happen, but she’s… oblivious. Or maybe avoiding it. And with what’s going on right now, jealousy is probably not the way I should get at her.” She gives an appreciative glance down the other woman’s body. “Not that you’re not lovely. I’ve just… I’m a bit fixated for the moment.”

Jackson nods. “I get it.” She opens her mouth to say more, but Nadine returns to the room. She’s got a backpack and two shoulder holsters in her hands. Chloe can practically see her switch gears. “So. The hydra then?”

“Yup,” the treasure hunter responds.

Nadine eyes the gun as she shoves ammo into the bag. “You didn’t have any left last time I bought from you.”

Jackson shrugs. “I do now. You wanted me to set her up with a shotgun, she’s got a shotgun.”

Nadine just grunts and hands Chloe a holster. “Do you have any vests?”

Jackson gives a sharp nod. “Just one. And it’ll fit your partner here better than you.”

Nadine’s eyes glance at Chloe. “Prefer that, actually, if there’s just one. We’ll take it.”

Jackson moves over to another crate and pulls it out. She tosses it to Nadine.

Nadine gestures to her partner. “We’ve spent enough time here. We need to get supplies from the market and go.”

Chloe sobers. “Yeah.”

Jackson leads them back out. She leans in her doorway as Nadine tosses the bag into the back and Chloe opens the front door on the passenger's side.

“I’ll give you two a discount on the shotgun, darl,” Jackson says to Chloe.

“Hm,” Chloe answers with a small smile and a dry chuckle. The term is a soft sort of flirtatious. And, admittedly, doesn’t sound as sweet as the one or two pet names Chloe has managed to get from Nadine. “We appreciate it.”

“Money will be in your account next chance I get,” Nadine adds. She’s already climbing in the front seat.

“I know your good for it. Good luck handling your troubles.”

Nadine doesn’t respond. She starts the car.

Jackson gets one last line out to Chloe. “And Frazer, if you ever get past that fixation of yours, you know where to find me.”

What is it with attractive women calling her by her last name? She’s got a first name and she enjoys when she’s called it. But then, she doesn’t know Jackson as anything other than that. “Hm, maybe then I can learn your first name, huh?” She sends her a wink as the car reverses and they’re back on the road.

They’ll pick up water and food in town before they keep on.

* * *

 

Nadine is still quiet. Chloe is doing her best to keep morale up, but it’s tough when her own has been waning for weeks.

Eventually, Chloe falls silent. It’s not long after that when they find themselves on the edge of what looks like an abandoned bunch of farm buildings.

“We’re here.”

“Abandoned buildings?” Chloe asks.

Surprisingly, Nadine answers her. “Probably from British imperialisation. Colonists showed up, built, then left or died when it got too difficult.”

“Charming. We’re not walking into some sort of sickness infested farm from the late eighteen hundreds, are we?”

Nadine shrugs. “They might’ve died from illness. Doesn’t matter, Frazer, you’re vaccinated.”

Chloe purses her lips but doesn’t respond. So she’s “Frazer” again, even though it's just them. Despite this, she’s still giving Nadine the benefit of the doubt. Maybe after her father is found, it’ll be back to warm Nadine, funny Nadine, damn near romantic Nadine.

The set up of buildings is close-knit. The one closest to them is a barn. The doors on their side are slack, one has fallen off and to the side. There are three or four other barns and sheds in the area. A few smaller sheds can be seen here and there. A little more to the side is a dilapidated farmhouse.

They stash the four by four just out of sight, on the other side of a rock formation. Chloe asks in a soft voice what the plan is. They’ve yet to see any of Shoreline, but Nadine is leading so Chloe will be behind her every step of the way.

“Stay low and quiet. Watch for a bit.”

Chloe nods, shifting the shotgun in her hands. “Alright.” She grinds her teeth. She wants to help Nadine calm down, ease some of the tension she can see held in her partner’s body.

Chloe truly does know how Nadine feels. It’s the terror of not knowing what’s about to happen. The lack of control that comes with the paths they’ve taken. It’s the fear of having to say a final goodbye to your father. This, Chloe hopes, damn near prays, won’t end with a funeral. Not the Jewish service Nadine’s family probably tends towards, and certainly not a burning pyre at the edge of a river.

They need to find him. No funeral. No death. Chloe wants to meet this man and thank him for raising Nadine.

They watch. They wait. There’s no trace of activity in the area.

Nadine is getting antsy.

Nadine isn’t being quite as careful as she usually is. Chloe doesn’t find too much issue with that until she realizes how out of it she must be for that. Chloe is all for winging it, but this really should be planned out. It’s a kidnapping, not a jaunt into some ruins for some gold.

So rather than actual waiting, they end up on a search. Nadine wants to find out where the men who’ve taken her father actually are.

The first barn is empty. There’s a few rusted tools on a rotted bench, but no more. The second bares a grim show of some bones-- Sheep, at a guess. It paints a picture that perhaps the previous owners of the ranch had died suddenly. That, or were the nasty sort to abandon their animals in a rush to leave.

They find nothing else.

The farmhouse has rusting bed frames and dusty linen. There’s evidence of rodents making homes in the walls. The sheds have more or less the same; rusted metal, forgotten tools. There’s a broken ceramic doll leaning against the steps. All of it is a ghostly reminder of whoever once lived there.

The last barn they check is different. There’s footsteps in the dust, discarded cigarette butts.

There’s a cellphone, blinking with a notification, in the dirt.

The screen is cracked like it’s been stepped on.

They’re long gone.

Chloe speaks up.

“China... We need to make a plan. We can put some feelers out, see what Shoreline has been up to, where they're camped…”

“It’ll take too long,” Nadine answers. Her voice is some mixture of anger and fear. “We’ve got to find him. They’ve got to be here, if not now, then soon--”

“Darling, they’ve got the advantage right now. It’ll take time to get it back and get him back.”

Nadine is frowning, a sort of seriousness on her face that Chloe’s seen only once before. It was when Chloe had told her she was getting on the train. It’d been accompanied by the soft utterance of “You’ll die”. Back when Nadine had seemed to care about Chloe.

Seeing Nadine like this hurts, so Chloe tries again. "Nadine, look at me. It will be fine. We'll get him back." She reaches out, rubs steady circles on Nadine's arm, and tries to give some sort of grounding touch.

Nadine runs a hand over her face, genuinely aggravated. "You, you don't get it," she insists. "If I lose him, _I won't have anyone else!_ "

Chloe's face falls. Her hands go still and she pulls them away from Nadine. It’s too much, she decides, hearing Nadine say that. Even she, the infamous Chloe Frazer, has a limit. After the last couple of weeks of Nadine acting cold, this is it. Her limit.

She takes a deep breath and speaks. "If that's really true, why'd you bring me?"

With that, she turns and walks away.

“N-- no! Chloe, I-- I didn’t mean!--”

“I’m going back to the car. Call if you need me.”

Chloe keeps walking. She ignores Nadine’s further attempts at an apology. She’s really, really not in the mood to listen.

She wants to cry. She wants to curl up and let herself be hurt, if only for a few minutes. But she keeps walking.

She’s nauseous and tense and nothing in the world can make her feel worse.

She doesn't care, she decides. At least, she doesn't want to care. She'd thought they were close, that Nadine felt something for her. That they felt something for each other.

But Chloe finds it all too easy to believe that Nadine doesn't care about her. Who would care about Chloe Frazer? It's something she's struggled with for years, most of her life even.

It's only seconds after she's had that thought that she vehemently denies it. She's worth it. She has to believe that. And maybe she should see an actual therapist about her issues, but right now, all she has is herself. If Nadine doesn't care about her, she can find someone who does. But first and foremost she has to care about herself.

She just hopes beyond hope that it won’t involve leaving Nadine’s side.

But maybe it has to.

She heads back towards the four by four. She’ll wait for Nadine and they can continue their search. And once Thato is found, Chloe is done. It'll be time for her to retreat, lick her wounds, and find another job.

She's only just past the first barn when white-hot pain erupts on the back of her head and the world goes dark.

* * *

 

Chloe comes to in the back of a van.

She groans and tries to raise a hand to her head, only to find her hands are bound behind her back. Rope, by the feel. She blinks, trying to bring her vision into focus.

“Easy, bint,” comes an order. She doesn’t recognize the voice. It's a man’s, obviously. The accent is similar to Nadine’s, but the words aren’t as precise. “Your head will hurt for a bit, but you’re still alive.”

Chloe notes that, yes, her head hurts, and yes, she _is_ still alive. Besides that vague knowledge, she has little else. “And how long will that last?”

There’s a half amused chuckle. Three men are with her in the back of the van, including whoever had spoken. Her back is toward the front, but she couldn’t be surprised if the passenger’s seat is occupied too. So five men, altogether.

“Depends on you. And Ross.” The man speaking is might only be described as handsome by his mother, or perhaps a blind man. His nose is crooked, probably from some break early on. And another as a teen… And a couple more during his mercenary career. He's the only one that really stands out in the group.

They're all dark skinned, and each is dressed in Shoreline colours. Because of course they are.

“Not gonna tell me more?” she tries. She'd like to say something witty, but with her vision swimming a bit, finding words is hard.

“Ross will come for you. That's all you need to know.”

Chloe snorts. “Yeah. Right. She won't go after me. Made that pretty clear.” It hurts admitting it. And maybe Chloe overreacted and… well, Nadine probably would have properly apologized given half a chance, but it's too late to now. After weeks of her acting cold… it's too easy to believe Nadine had spoken her truth.

The man scowls. “Don't lie to us. You're her partner. And we all know she's a koeksister. She will go after you because of that alone.”

“A what? Listen, I'm not really valuable to her-- besides, you've got Thato Ross. She's already gung ho to get him back.” The men exchange nervous looks. Chloe laughs. “Really? He got away. Fuck, that's hilarious. That's mad.”

The man with the crooked nose hits her and sends her head reeling again. “Shut it, bint.”

“What if she's telling the truth, Davy?” Another man asks. “Bit of a dobbel on taking her, ja? Might be better heading back and taking Ross while she's alone. That's what we were supposed to do anyway.”

Davy shakes his head, still angry. “Kosta wants to finish it. Ross’ll show up. Whether she's hard up or just jas for the girl, she'll come. Better to bring her to us and fight on our terms.”

Chloe wishes she had picked up more Afrikaans from Nadine. She's only got some basic swears down. These men are using slang she can't decipher. Any extra information could help but here she is with a language barrier. They're probably doing it on purpose, speaking so she only gets half the information.

Despite this, Chloe isn't too terribly worried. She's been in far worse situations. All she needs to do is wait for an opening.

That, and for her head to clear.

If she can't get out on her own, she's sure Nadine will make some sort of effort. She trusts in the woman's sense of duty, even if she doesn't trust how Nadine might truly feel about her. In all honesty, she's fighting herself. One part is certain Nadine will come to get her, but the other is still lingering in the fresh hurt of what Nadine had said. Neither side will win. Not yet.

Chloe focuses on steady breathing for the rest of the ride. The ride gives her plenty of time for the dizziness to lessen to “controllable”. The men try to talk to her but she ignores them. She’s not quite in the mood for witty jokes and dry comedy about her situation. She only answers what she knows she needs to in order to avoid further harm. God, she wishes she was in a better mood. Maybe she could flirt her way out of the situation. But no, she feels absolutely horrible.

It occurs to her that now might be the perfect time to flirt with literally anyone but Nadine. She’d felt bad, earlier, flirting with Jackson. She sort of regrets not promising the gun dealer a bit more-- she could go for an absolutely meaningless lay with a beautiful woman.

But, unfortunately, the only options she has for the moment are ugly mercenaries who, by the smell, haven’t showered for weeks. Who are holding her captive. Lovely.

And despite all this, she wishes Nadine was here. She misses her.

She sort of hates that.

* * *

 

They take her to what can only really be described as an oasis in the desert. Nestled in the center of a canyon is a deep pool of water left over from a river that once flowed through. There are more plants here and plenty of insect activity. Some trees grow at the edge of the water. A natural land bridge goes past across between the canyon walls high overhead. It'd be absolutely beautiful if it were not for the tents cluttering the landscape. Mercenary tents sprout from the ground like weeds.

A rough hand grabs her upper arm and jerks her towards a tent near the canyon wall. She's practically tossed inside.

“Sit,” Davy demands. He's followed by one of the men from the van.

There's a single chair in the center of the tent. Scuff marks in the dirt show that something, though Chloe isn't sure what, happened here. Thinking on it, this is probably the same spot Thato Ross was kept.

She still thinks that's funny.

She sits. Her hands are jammed uncomfortably against the back of the chair, but she’ll live.

“So? Now what?”

Davy’s eyes narrow as he looks at her. “Nothing you need to know. But… perhaps we can have some fun later.”

Chloe scowls. She can't wait to see Nadine rip his arms off.

Oof, no. Thinking about Nadine still hurts.

Still though. Davy has a severe ass beating in the future. Maybe from Nadine, maybe from Chloe. Either way, it'll happen. She guarantees it.

Davy gestures to the man who followed him. “Stay here. Watch her. Kosta will be by in a bit.” With that, he exits.

The man leans against one of the tent posts. He crosses one arm across his chest and with the other, pulls a phone from his pocket and pokes around on it.

Chloe scoffs. Really? Is she that boring?

“So what's it mean?” she asks.

He glances up. “What does what mean?” he asks in an uninterested tone.

“That thing he called Nadine in the car. Something sister.”

“Koeksister.” He doesn't seem to want to chat with Chloe.

“Right, that. What's it mean?”

He grunts. “Lesbian.”

She manages a chuckle. “Ah. That's something I already knew about her then.”

“It's wrong,” the man spits.

“What, liking women?”

He gives her a short nod.

“Oh? So you have a boyfriend?”

He scowls. “You're lucky I'm not Davy. I won't hit a woman who can't hit back.”

“Untie me and I'll let you have a swing,” she offers. She rolls her shoulders. If he's really as much of an idiot as he seems, this ploy will work.

He actually seems to consider it, but then there's a commotion outside and he's turning his head towards the opening.

Chloe takes her chance. She rolls forward, staying low and pressing her arms to the ground. She jumps and pulls her arms forward. Now with her tied hands in front, she springs forward and hooks an elbow around his throat. He barely gets off a noise before his airway is cut off and he's struggling against her. His phone thuds to the ground. She holds the choke until he goes limp, and holds it longer so she's sure he won't get back up.

“How's that for hitting back?” she mutters.

And then she gets to work. They've taken everything off of her. Her phone is gone, her guns are gone. Even the ammo she'd tucked into her back pocket.

She swears. She hadn’t even gotten to use the hydra.

So she stoops and pockets his phone. He won't be needing it. He also won't be needing the combat knife she finds in his boot or the pistol off his hip. She uses the knife to cut off her binds. There's even a mostly full canteen of water. Next, she needs to… shit, she doesn't know. But she moves to the back of the tent. It'd been nearer to the canyon wall, so maybe she can get out through the back and get around to a car. Make a break for it.

Wait. She has a phone. Right.

And while she's still feeling hurt, she knows Nadine’s number by heart. A phone call would be a bad idea, but she opens maps to find out where she is. The battery is low, only fourteen percent power. It seems to be an older model because as soon as she's loaded up a map application it's dropped to nine percent. She takes a screenshot and attaches it to a message. Three percent. She only types “taken here” and hits send. She thinks she sees the “sent” confirmation just before the screen goes dark.

Chloe sighs. Well, that's a start.

She still feels sick to her stomach when she thinks about what Nadine said.

But she's not going to sit around and wait for rescue. She's going to take out her newfound combat knife and get out of here.

The tent is a general square shape topped by a slightly raised point above a central pole. It's made of canvas and secured to a sturdy frame. The outside seems to be attached to the ground via stakes. Lucky for her, each side seems to be made of two separate pieces with a seam in the center, along one of the support poles.

She presses the combat knife to the seam and cuts the heavy thread that keeps it together. Once she has two or three inches cut, she's able to peek outside. The canyon wall is maybe ten feet away. As luck would have it, there's a slim fissure up the side that has enough room for her to hide in. From there, she can make another plan. As long as she's not in the tent when they come to check on her.

There's no point in putting it off. She saws her way through the rest of the seam, making a hole big enough for her to slip through. She slips up only once, cutting her palm a bit with the knife. She swears but that's it. She needs to keep quiet.

Chloe takes a deep breath. And then she darts out of the hole and at the fissure.

She expects there to be shouts. She expects gunshots, angry Afrikaans slung in her direction and all sorts of chaos. After all, she's wearing a bright red shirt against the desert browns and plant life greens.

But none of that happens, and she slips into the rock formation a few seconds later. It goes deeper into the rock than she had thought, but that's a good thing. She presses in until she feels she's far enough to where she's not seen.

She stops. She breathes. She listens.

It's been maybe fifteen minutes since she'd been let out of the van, but she has no idea how long it's been since she was taken. The sun seems much lower in the sky, but she can't see it for the walls of the canyon. Especially from her spot in the fissure.

Chloe has been in worse situations, certainly, but never in such a bad mood.

Whatever. She’ll make due.

And then come the sounds of chaos. She hears someone shout “She's gone!” followed by more yells.

It's only a matter of time before someone checks her hiding spot, so she does what she's good at. She climbs.

The climb is rather arduous, but she's more than halfway before someone thinks to check the crevice she'd been in. She's just hoping they won't think to look up.

It seems, though, that once again she's being underestimated. But once more it's helping rather than hindering. They don't think to look up because how could a slender, well-read woman like herself climb such a steep incline? It's the sort of underestimation that led them to leave only one guard on her. She's told Nadine a dozen times-- it helps.

She's tired and achy by the time she nears the top. There's just enough gap between handholds that she’ll have to make a risky jump to get up. The sun is starting to set and visibility is dropping, but if she wants solid ground under her feet, she’ll have to try it.

Whether she makes it or not, she's dead if they catch her. What's a little risk?

As she prepares for the jump, arms tensing, feet finding purchase, she hears the crunch of boot fall on dirt. She hesitates. She doesn't have any idea if Shoreline is camped at the top too, she realizes.

A figure leans over the gap. Looks down at her. And then offers her a hand.

Once more, she hesitates.

“C’mon. Up is safer than down.” The voice is gruff, the accent clearly South African. Almost familiar, too, in a way.

And up probably is safer than down.

She accepts the hand and lets herself be pulled up.

Once up and on her feet, she's greeted by an older man with dark skin and an almost familiar face. He's a bit taller than her and more muscled than most men his age are wrinkled. There's the deep gouge of a scar intersecting his left eyebrow. There's another nicking his jawline on the same side. Despite these, he's rather handsome for an old man. A few freckles are spattered over his face. His dark, but greying hair has the high and tight military look. He seems… almost pleased at her presence. His warm brown eyes-- very familiar warm brown eyes-- sparkle in his good mood.

“Good to finally meet you, Ms. Frazer.” He extends a hand.

She shakes it. “I'm afraid I'm at a disadvantage. You are?”

“Thato Ross.”

* * *

 

Chloe finds herself tucked into the ruins of an old building once more. Thato has a fire going to combat the harsh desert night’s cold and she's leaned close to it in hopes to ward off shivering.

There's half a town’s worth of buildings up here on the edge of the canyon. They're worse off than the barns and house she and Nadine had gone to. Some seem to have been burned long ago. Others have bullet holes in their walls. Something bad happened here, long ago. A colony gone wrong, a town gone mad, anything is an option. The remains of whoever was here have likely been dragged off by animals.

“I see my daughter hasn't exaggerated your climbing ability,” Thato finally comments. They've been mostly quiet since meeting.

Chloe manages a grin. “Oh, that? That was nothing. Did she show you the pictures of us on the Ghanesh statues?”

He raises an eyebrow. “No, I do not think so.”

“I'll try to show you at some point. Assholes took my phone. But it was much higher up and much more dangerous.” She chuckles. “Less chance of getting shot though.”

Thato grins. Nadine really does look like him. “I watched them bring you into camp. They put a guard on you in that old tent?”

She nods. “Yeah. Wasn't much of a match for me though. I'd rather have had a chance to break Davy's nose for him again.”

“Underestimating you comes with a death sentence, ja? Not surprising. As for Davy-- I knew him once. He guns for a pehrer wherever he can. I’m surprised no one has put him in his place yet.” Thato stands and moves to a corner where Chloe spots a green duffle bag. He reaches in and pulls out something familiar: MREs.

Chloe's stomach growls and she realizes how long it's been since she last ate.

Thato tosses one to her and sits. “Stole these from them earlier. Right after you got to camp.”

Chloe tears into the package. She could care less about the contents as long as it's food to fill her stomach. “Ah. So that's what all the noise outside the tent was. You gave me a good chance to escape.”

“I'm glad you took it.”

Chewing on what… seems to be a vaguely vegetable tasting… item, from the MRE, Chloe raises an eyebrow. “How'd you beat me up here?”

Thato makes a vague gesture. “There's a well-hidden path up and down the side. Whoever used to live here probably used it to fetch water.” He shrugs and changes the subject. “So… Where is Nadine?”

Chloe’s been dreading this question. How’s she supposed to tell him she’s had… some sort of falling out with his admittedly wonderful daughter? That she’s afraid of the chance Nadine might not be in her life in the near future? She’s terrified. What if Nadine finally decides to be done with her?

Chloe hates thinking about it because she wants to be mad, wants to have the ability to cut ties, but all she really is, well, is sad. Part of her tells her she’s overreacting, part of her tells her she’s justified.

Either way, she should give Thato some sort of answer.

“I… Don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“I wasn’t with her when they took me. We… Last I saw her, we were in a dilapidated barn on an abandoned old ranch. Found your phone there.” She shrugs, avoiding Thato’s eyes. “They knocked me out, so I don’t even know how long ago.”

“You got separated then?” His face is unreadable. He’s absorbing what she’s saying and waiting to react.

Truth, Chloe has found, is typically safer when dealing with a Ross. But maybe she can hide it a bit. As if lying by omission hadn’t been a bad thing before.

She sighs. She’ll give him half for now. After all, the emotions bit of it is her business. “I’d walked away from her. She’d said something and-- I was going back to the car. To calm down. They took me before I got there.”

She glances up. He seems contemplative.

“What did she say?” He’s yet to jump to any conclusions it seems, but he’s curious.

Chloe brushes it off. “Nothing that really matters. Not now anyway. What matters now is finding her and getting out of here.” She wants to add something about her flying back home, away from the emotional stress, to her flat in London, but she probably shouldn’t. So she doesn’t.

Besides. She’s still hopeful things can be fixed. Maybe?

Thato is slow to respond. He looks at the fire, thinking hard. “Now I don’t know what she said, but my daughter… Doesn’t always see what’s in front of her. And if she does, she doesn’t always take a risk to act on it.”

Chloe shrugs. She doesn’t really want to talk about it, not with him. Thato seems nice and well-meaning-- he’s Nadine’s father after all. But if she’s going to talk about this with anyone, she’d choose a friend. Maybe it’s too soon to talk things out with Nadine, but she’s got Nate, or Charlie, or even Elena. Sully would be willing to as well. But it’s pointless to think about right now.

Thato seems to realize she has no interest in discussing it right now. “But, eh, I’m just a krimpie. What do I know?” He shifts. “You’re right, though. We’ve got to track her down. And take care of whoever is the head of Shoreline right now.”

“I heard the name Kosta for that. Nadine--” Chloe remembers the phone she’d taken from her dead guard. “Shit, speaking of Nadine, she probably knows where we are. I was able to send her a message on a phone I snagged from my guard. I think.”

“You think?”

“I didn’t really get to see if the message sent, but I think it did.”

“Ag man. I suppose we can hope.” He purses his lips. “We need to take shifts to keep watch. Probably best to do four through the night and switch off. Preference to odd or even shifts?”

His military background shows through now. His focus is shifted to survival and safety in numbers, despite that number being only two. On top of that, Chloe can see where Nadine got her sense of chivalry from. He's given her the choice of sleeping now or later when he could've just as easily decided it for them.

“I can take the odd ones. You get some rest, I'm sure your day has been long.”

Thato nods. “Sounds good. Wake me if there's trouble.”

* * *

 

“Ms. Frazer,” comes a low voice. “I spot headlights. You need to get up.”

Chloe pulls herself awake in a practiced fashion. This isn't the first time she's had to wake up for a fight.

“You can call me Chloe,” she manages to say. She blinks a few times and rolls her shoulders-- desert floors are not comfortable beds. “Where are the headlights?” Her voice is still raspy from sleep. She remembers the canteen she'd taken from the guard; it's still got some water left.

Thato motions behind Chloe before kicking sand onto the low fire. It dims, but doesn't go out.

There are two sets of headlights headed for the little abandoned town. As they watch, the headlights go dark. If they listen hard enough, they can hear the run of the engines.

The fire, even just the glowing coals, will be easily spotted in the dark.

“Come, Chloe. We will use the fire as bait, and we will hide nearby. We can take them out quietly.”

Chloe nods. “They won't know what hit them.”

He leads the way because of course he does. Up ahead there's a two story building, half falling apart. Only one wall seems to have remained sturdy. It's got a section of the upper floor still attached, creating something akin to a hunting platform.

“I'll climb that,” she whispers with a gesture. “When they head for the fire, I can get the drop on them. Literally.”

He gives her a thoughtful look, followed by a firm nod. “Alright. I’ll make sure they come through there.” He pauses. “Favour your knife. Gunshots will likely be heard down below.”

She nods. He makes sense.

Quick as a blink, Chloe gets herself up to the ledge. From there, she takes her knife out. Adrenaline is starting to take effect. It’s a rush she’s familiar with, damn near addicted to. It takes any shake from her hands and helps her keep her breath deep, steady, and quiet.

The hum of the engines grows closer. Just like that, there’s only one car running, then the second falls silent behind it. Chloe can’t see the men hunting them, but she can see Thato crouched on the opposite side of the path from her, behind some overgrown rubble.

It happens very quickly. But it always seems to.

Thato motions to Chloe so she knows the men are close. He holds up his thumb and two fingers. There are three of them.

Chloe rolls her shoulders and listens to the crunch of booted footsteps. Once they’re below her, she launches forward.

She lands hard on the man furthest back, sinking her knife into his arm. He goes down. She pushes up off of him before the other two notice she’s there. Her arm wraps around the next closest man’s neck and locks there-- Thato has the last man on the ground.

Just as Chloe manages to snap the neck of the man she’s got in her hold, she feels something hit her leg. She drops the body and dodges to the side, looking down to see the first man she’d dropped down on. He’s rolled onto his stomach and is swinging his knife at her.

Chloe is only just processing a proper reaction to deal with it when Thato’s foot comes down on the man’s wrist. It stops any movement of the knife. He follows it with a swift kick to the face. There’s a sickening crack and the man goes still.

“Thanks,” Chloe manages to breath out.

Thato nods. “You’re good in a scrap. Nadine’s said as much.”

Chloe nearly scoffs. “She’s always telling me I need to practise.”

He doesn’t have time to answer, as the clear sound of a gun cocking. “Moenie beweeg nie.” There’s a man standing back the way the others had come from, aiming pump action shotgun in their direction.

“He said do not move,” Thato translates in a quiet voice.

“Ross,” the man barks. “Jy of die meisie. Jou ke--”

He cuts off as a something tackles him. Thato and Chloe move in at once. But there's not really any need to do more. They find Nadine pinning him down, pummeling him into the dust. He doesn't stand a chance.

Once she's certain he won't be getting back up, Nadine stands.

Chloe… doesn't know how to react. She's still thinking about that line, about how Nadine doesn't count her as important, as a support system. She wants to run to Nadine but… she can't find it in herself to. She needs… an apology first. And maybe a strong drink.

Nadine seems unsure of herself. When her eyes land on Thato, she breaks out in an ear to ear smile. “Ouballie!”

He laughs. “Patat!” And suddenly they're hugging and Chloe gets to watch a happy reunion of a father and daughter. They exchange a few quick words in Afrikaans, hugging tight to each other.

After a moment, they part. He holds her at arms length.  “You found us,” Thato states. He's got a proud grin going.

“Ja, I got a message-- I don't know if you or…” Nadine trails off. Her eyes slip over to where Chloe is standing. Her expression turns sheepish, almost pained. “... Chloe sent it...” She starts to pull away from her father’s grip. “Chloe--”

Chloe decides not to listen.

Two weeks of cold behavior, and now this? No. It's her turn to be cold. And maybe it's petty, but she's Chloe goddamn Frazer and she's allowed to be petty. Especially when her best friend is acting like this.

“Glad you got the message, Ross.” That'll sting. Chloe's sure. Because Nadine has been calling her Frazer for two fucking weeks and she doesn't deserve pet names-- no Chinas, no loves, no darlings. Certainly no honeys or dears. None of them. Not until she explains to Chloe why she's been treated this way. “But we should head back to the fire to talk. It's goddamned freezing out.”

Chloe is aware that Thato can sense whatever tension is between herself and his daughter. But she really doesn't care and she really is cold. June at night in the Karoo is cold when she's dressed for the heat of the day.

“I'll bring the four by four over,” Nadine says quietly.

Chloe is already walking away.

The adrenaline is fading from her body, bringing out the aches from her uncomfortable sleeping place, and a sharp pain in her leg where she'd been nicked with that knife.

She ignores it until she's back at the fire. Thato has followed her and tossed some more fuel on it. He's got it roaring again by the time Nadine has the car over.

Finally, Chloe looks down at her calf. She grunts in pain when she sees the cut. A good deal of blood is dripping down her leg, staining her sneaker and pooling at the top of her sock. It'll probably scar too. She tells herself women find scars sexy.

Nadine sees the wound too. Quick as a blink, she's got the first aid kit out of the four by four and is at Chloe's side. “You're hurt. I can--”

“I'm fine.” Chloe keeps her response short and to the point. Where she'd been hurt-- emotionally-- earlier, now she's just annoyed. Alright, and hurt, but she's more than tired of Nadine’s behavior. One minute she won't even smile at Chloe, the next she's fawning over an injury? Like hell.

“Please, Chloe, I can help--”

“I said I'm fine, Nadine.” She pointedly tugs herself away from Nadine. “I'll take care of it myself.”

Nadine looks hurt. Chloe hates it, but she's trying to tough it out. The ball is in Nadine’s court; she can either explain why the hell she's acted as she has, or she can leave Chloe be. The latter option is scary, but Chloe has gotten through worse. She's not of a mind to let her emotions be tossed around by Nadine acting cold for no reason.

Thato clears his throat. “I… am going to go search the vehicles they brought,” he says, referring to the men they'd killed. “I'll be back.”

The two women watch him walk into the darkness.

Chloe hears Nadine take a deep breath. And then hears her speak.

“Chloe…”

“Don't you Chloe me,” the treasure hunter practically hisses. “Treat me like dirt for half a month and suddenly start worrying again after I get kidnapped? No thanks.”

“Chloe please--”

“You know, I find it surprising that I’m suddenly Chloe again. I’ve been Frazer for two, maybe two and a half weeks.” Chloe really doesn’t want to give Nadine a chance to talk. It’s easier to be angry with her, after all. “Thought you'd moved past that, but no. But then, why would you move past it if I’m nothing to you?”

“I’m sorry,” Nadine gets out.

That shuts Chloe up. Sometimes she forgets that not everyone has to be pressured into saying those words.

Nadine kneels in front of her and opens the medkit.

“I’ve been… a bit of a dumbass lately,” she murmurs. She’s gentle in cleaning the blood off of Chloe’s leg. “I just… When you agreed to meet my father, it was… scarier than it should’ve been.” Her jaw is tense and she’s not looking up at Chloe. “Eish, Chloe, I… I care about you. More than is smart in our line of work. But when I, I thought about you meeting him-- I was scared.”

A thought occurs to Chloe.

“Nadine… Are you not out to him?” Chloe is no stranger to homophobic parents. She hasn’t spoken to her mother in years. “All you have to do is tell me so I can keep it quiet. No one but us needs to know.”

Nadine wraps a bandage around Chloe’s leg. She frowns. “No, I… He knows. He’s known since I was young.”

“Then why?” Chloe feels sick to her stomach. She needs answers. For why Nadine has been cold. And for that line.

“It's… it's different with you.”

“Me?” she repeats.

“Ja, it's… hard to explain.”

“You… you don't want him to know you're attracted to me?”

Nadine glances up. “Sort of.”

Chloe clenches her jaw. “Nadine, you'd better give me a damn good reason, because it sounds a lot like you're ashamed of me.” It feels like there's a pit in her stomach. “It, it doesn't matter how much I like you if you can't-- if you're actively ashamed of who I am when it comes to your father.”

Nadine seems to panic. “Chloe, I--”

Thato seems to materialize out of the darkness, a new bag on his shoulder, and Nadine cuts off.

That’s all Chloe really needs to know.

It’s an answer, even if it’s a silent one. If Nadine isn’t willing to talk to her in front of him, even in a whisper, it’s all the answer she needs.

“Is that it?” Chloe has no problems speaking with someone else around. She’s completely shameless with who she is. She’s Chloe Frazer and she’s happy to be herself, even if it took time for her to reach that point.

Nadine seems to struggle for words, but she doesn’t manage anything, not even a no.

Chloe turns away. She’ll listen if Nadine decides to actually say something, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.

Thato gives her a curious look, but she just shakes her head.

“You two can get some sleep,” Chloe speaks. Her voice is soft. She realizes she doesn’t sound like herself. She sort of hates that. She clears her throat. “I’ll keep watch.”

“You sure?” Thato asks. Nadine is still quiet.

“Yup. I slept most recently, so I can. Still a few hours before dawn, may as well make use of them.” She settles herself on a bit of crumbling stone fence, facing away from the fire. “I’ll let you know if anyone else shows up.”

* * *

The day is much hotter than the night. It’s still early in the morning, but the sun is beating down unmercifully. Chloe already knows she’s a few shades darker from tanning. After all this, she’ll have to take a week off to even her tan. Hell, she’ll have plenty of time once she breaks away from all this.

Nadine still hasn’t said much to her. And she hasn’t said much to Nadine. Almost nothing, in fact. Chloe hadn’t even woken Nadine herself. She’d gotten Thato up and let him wake Nadine.

They’ve moved camp away from last night’s area. Thato had scouted out a better place to hold up while they figured out what to do next. Now they’re at a farther edge of the abandoned town, tucked inside one of the only standing buildings. The floor is dirt and there are holes in the roof, but they were able to drive the four by four in to hide it.

“So how are we doing this?” Chloe asks. “I doubt we’re letting them go this easy.”

“They’ll just come after us, you’re right.” Thato frowns, eyes on the horizon.

Nadine’s jaw is tense. Chloe looks away before she can notice anything else. It doesn’t stop her from hearing the woman though.

“Might be better if we get someone else in on it. They certainly have us on numbers.”

He shakes his head. “This is ours to deal with. Their numbers are much fewer than what they used to be.”

“The whole thing with Rafe-- a lot of men were lost.”

Chloe bites her lip, but stays quiet. She remembers being told about that-- Nadine had wanted to quit Rafe’s whole suicide run so her men could survive it. Now these same men seem to want her dead. She would’ve given her life for them and this is what they do?

Chloe shakes the thoughts from her head. She’s angry with Nadine, she reminds herself. No matter how noble the damned woman likes to act.

Thato cracks his neck. “We take out Kosta and send a message. Anyone gets in our way, they go too.” His expression darkens. “We’ll take them all out, if we have to.”

A chuckle leaves Chloe. “Don’t cross Ross.”

Just like that, Thato brightens again. His laugh is damn near jolly. “I like that! That’s good.”

Chloe lets herself grin again. She likes Thato more and more as he speaks. He seems to know exactly where his loyalties lie and she’s glad she’s fallen firmly on his good side. And that’s even with how she and Nadine are acting towards each other.

Thato isn’t how she had expected. She’d expected a gruff, quiet man, more military than father. Instead, he’s friendly with her, protective of his daughter and his allies, and ready for a joke. Like father, like daughter.

“I’ve learned it’s the truth,” Chloe responds. “Your fighting last night, the last job we went on, a punch in India… Don’t cross Ross applies everywhere.”

She throws in the last one to be petty. She’d been in the wrong at the time, but God, if she has to get Nadine angry to get her to talk, that’s what’s going to happen.

She glances at the woman.

Nadine is looking away, frowning.

Chloe can’t tell if she should feel ashamed or salty.

She’s ignoring it for now.

(She’s ashamed.)

“Don’t cross… ag, wish I’d thought of it when I started the company,” Thato jokes. “Would’ve made a great slogan.” He chuckles but shakes his head. “We need to focus.” He sets his jaw and switches back to the original subject. “Numbers-wise, we should be fine. A small effective team is all we need and it’s what we have.”

“Pops, are you sure?” Nadine looks tense. Uneasy. “You’ve been out of the game for a while yet.”

Thato lets out a sharp laugh. “Child, I killed four of their men before they managed to take me, and another two on my way out of their camp.” He looks between them. “Chloe seems well handled in a fight and I trained you myself-- I’m sure even an old man like me can make it with you two about. Ja?”

“I’d say so,” Chloe chimes in.

Nadine glances at her but answers her father. “Ja.” It’s soft, but she doesn’t seem to have it in her to argue.

Thato sets a hand on Nadine’s shoulder. “How’s the garden?”

Nadine responds something in Afrikaans. Chloe, of course, doesn’t understand it, but it doesn’t really bother her. She leans back against the four by four and rubs at a bruise on her arm. She’d love a bath right about now. She should be relaxing in a hotel room right now, probably still sleeping with how early it is. Instead, she’s out in the desert with a partner who’s ashamed of her, her partner’s surprisingly friendly father, and a whole mercenary group that wants them all dead. Lovely.

“Chloe?” Thato says, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Hm? Sorry, a bit lost in thought.”

“You good to go with me to the path I mentioned? Scout a bit, see if we can’t gather some information.”

Chloe wonders what she really missed in the conversation that ended with her and Thato separating from Nadine for a bit. Maybe Nadine said something when they were chatting in Afrikaans.

“Sounds good.” She rolls her shoulders. “We going now?”

“Ja, we can.”

“Bring food and water,” Nadine practically orders from her spot by the ashes of the fire. She’s got one of the bags they brought. Chloe can’t see what she’s put in it. She assumes it must be food and water, as it’s passed it to Thato after zipping it up. “You’ve both got guns?”

Thato looks to Chloe, who nods.

“We’re good.”

“Alright. Stay safe.”

He answers with some short Afrikaans. With that, he leads the way.

They stick to the edges of the forgotten village and pass by the previous night’s campfire, as well as where Chloe had climbed up. He brings her to some rock formations a bit away from the edge.

“It's right up here,” he states. “This is where I came up.”

There’s an illusion hiding the path, it seems, as Chloe doesn’t spot it until they’ve stepped into it. Once upon a time, it was well worn and well frequented. Now, hardy little plants manage to grow in the cracks of the rocks, some of which have fallen into the path.

“How’d you get away?”

He shrugs. “They thought I was exhausted. Had no issue believing an old man was too tired to stand. Was too easy to take them off guard after that.” Thato takes the lead down the path. “Got a lucky break after I took out the men watching me. The man just outside my tent had fallen asleep, so it was easy to take one of the hats from the men and act like I belonged. When Shoreline was a Ross company, that wouldn’t have happened.”

Chloe watches as his jaw grows tense and his shoulders broaden as he flexes. He’s got anger flooding him. Like father like daughter.

“But then, we were also an actual company. Not a piss soaked excuse of a gang. Kidnappers and murderers.”

Chloe decides to ask what’s on her mind. Nadine certainly hasn’t discussed it with her.

“So, ah… The fact Nadine decided not to get Shoreline back? What’s, ah. How’re you doing about that?”

Thato’s body language changes almost subtly. His shoulders lower just a touch. His eyebrows cinch and he pauses in the path. He turns to look back at her. His expression is enigmatic at best.

“This… might sound wrong. But I don’t believe Shoreline was ever something for Nadine. Wasn’t her.”

Chloe frowns and raises an eyebrow. “Come on, old man.” She says, half-jokingly. “What do you mean? It’s in her blood. She’s all sorts of skilled.”

“Ja, ja. She is, I won’t deny that.” He stares at her for a few long seconds. “She's learned everything she's had to; I made sure of that. I was hard on her when she was young. And she could have led Shoreline to greatness, had it let her. But it wasn’t for her.”

“Certainly seemed like what she wanted,” Chloe comments, almost offhandedly. Maybe she shouldn’t have brought this up. She’s curious as to his reasoning, but these are things Nadine needs to know. Not Chloe.

“At one point? Maybe.” He hums in thought as he turns back to the path and leads the way forward. “She wanted more. Maybe she didn’t realize it at first. She knows now, though.” He clicks his tongue. “A few months ago, I get a call about how she's partnered up with a woman she's met and plans to treasure hunt…” Another shrug. “She's seemed happier since.”

She has, has she? Chloe purses her lips. Maybe at first. But these last few weeks… and now this stalemate?

“Speaking of which,” Thato continues, glancing back. “If you're so angry with her… why bother asking?”

Chloe actually blushes. She's sort of angry about it. The heat on her cheeks is more embarrassment than she wants to show.

“I was curious,” comes a simple response. It's not a lie.

“Ah, what's that expression? Curiosity killed the rat?”

“Cat. But it ends with “satisfaction brought it back”.”

“Did my answer satisfy you?”

Chloe ponders that for a moment. Did it? At bare minimum, yes. But it's also made her think of more-- Nadine being happy with her. Which has, in turn, brought more focus on to how Nadine feels ashamed to share the status of their almost-but-not-quite relationship with her father. It makes her feel sick to her stomach and a bit angry-- not to mention sad.

Nadine makes her feel too much. It's been that way since they met.

“I don't know,” she answers back, for want of a real answer.

“You two… your talk did not end well.” It's a statement, not a question.

Chloe grits her teeth and keeps her eyes on the path. “Whatever are you talking about? Went swimmingly,” she says, brushing off his concern. “Are we close to the bottom?”

“Just ahead,” he answers.

Their voices have been rather low the whole time, but now they fall silent. Chloe is grateful for it. How's she supposed to dodge more questions like his? And he obviously knows Nadine and her are some sort of messed up right now, whether through his own observation or Nadine just telling him. Who knows which.

It feels like a blessing when they reach the bottom of the path. There are more rocks blocking it from sight. They keep low behind them and keep it all in view.

Chloe counts eight tents set up. Near the edge are three black four by fours. One has its hood up with a man working underneath it. A couple motorcycles lean nearby. There are a few men hanging around outside, all around a cooking fire in the center camp. No one seems too important, so she doubts anyone visible is Kosta.

They settle in behind the rocks. They’ll be here for a bit yet.

“Priorities are finding which tent is Kosta’s and get an idea of how many men we’re facing.” Thato’s voice is low. He’s done with past conversations and is totally focused on the task at hand.

It’s all well and good. Chloe really doesn’t feel like talking about Nadine.

* * *

 

It’s afternoon by the time Chloe and Thato head back to camp. The mood has lightened considerably between them. Chloe finds Thato is quick with a joke and a bit more tolerant of her “incessant jabbering” than his daughter. In fact, they chat rather easily.

But, as they get back to the four by four, Nadine comes into sight and Chloe clams up. She doesn’t really want to. It’s too much to show how affected she is.

Nadine is seated on the tailgate with a gun in her hands. It’s the pistol she’d bought from Jackson. She’s cleaning it, by the looks, and ensuring it’s running to the best of its ability.

Now that she thinks of it, Chloe is disappointed she never got to use that shotgun.

“How’d it go?” Nadine asks. She avoids Chloe’s eyes. Big surprise there.

“Twenty-six men,” Thato responds. “Kosta’s tent is near center camp. The men we killed last night were missed, but didn’t tell the others where they went.”

“Were you spotted?”

“Oh, ja,” Thato responds sarcastically. “Invited them to a braii. They’ll bring booze and some choty gotys.”

Nadine sighs. “Toppie.”

“We were fine.” He gives her a look and jerks her chin towards Chloe. It’s a small movement that he probably thinks Chloe doesn’t see. She does. “Praat met haar. Tend the garden.”

Nadine frowns. “Nog nie.”

He says something quick, fast enough that Chloe can’t separate the words. She really should get around to a new language. She’s got a few under her belt already, but none are Germanic.

So, again, Chloe ignores it. She doesn’t really care that they’re talking about her. She can’t afford to. She not fond of thinking of what’s being said about her. Is it good? Is it bad? She doesn’t know. Thato seems agitated and Nadine is almost sheepish. It sends her thoughts too many places.

So she walks to the four-by-four and grabs her bag out. She’s tempted to change into cleaner clothes, but it’s pointless. Putting clean clothes on when she can't wash would just make her feel worse. Doesn't help that it's the damn desert and the only body of water nearby is in the center of a camp of men looking to kill them. She wishes they'd had time to grab wipes or something. They usually have something, anything. She's never been out on a job without anything at all to wash with. For now, at most, she can put on more deodorant. God, she wants to shower.

She wants a lot of things, actually. A shower is just the start. She also wants a soft bed. A good payday. And she absolutely loathes to admit it to herself, but she wants Nadine. Not the distant Nadine she's gotten lately, and not the shamefaced Nadine who's nearby now. Her Nadine. Warm, friendly, only for her Nadine. The one that sometimes held her at night in their shared hotel room.

She'd have to be tortured to admit it.

But why is it all she can think of? This sort of thing really isn’t fair. Chloe isn’t supposed to be genuinely affected by anyone-- she quit that after Nate. Or she thought she had, until the stubborn, muscular, and surprisingly good-hearted Nadine Ross had appeared in her life.

And at some point, Nadine may even get the courage to talk to her. Likely when Thato isn’t around.

Speaking of which, Thato has just headed out of their little makeshift shelter.

“Chloe.”

Chloe takes a deep breath. Alright. Apparently, this is happening now.

Right now.

She turns, rather slowly, to face Nadine. She tries to put on an expression somewhere between “unaffected” and “annoyed”. If circumstances were even slightly different, she'd have left by now and she would never have to face this. But things aren’t different. Nadine is… everything to her. So she can’t leave. She wants to leave but instead she's going to act like she's not terrified of losing Nadine and do what she's good at-- talk.

“What?” she says in an even voice. She's almost surprised she's managed it.

“Can… can we talk?”

“Is this not talking? If you've got something to say, say it.” There it is. Anger. It's strangely comforting because now she's got less chance to cry. She can be angry and deal with this. Hopefully. Most of her relationships, if that's even what they might have, were easy to leave. Nadine seems to be one of the rare exceptions to the rule. Which is annoying, admittedly. And it does have the potential for great things, but it's certainly not meeting it now.

Nadine cringes at her tone. “I’m sorry, I… I want to explain.”

Chloe doesn’t really have anything to say to that. Boy, she wishes she did. Why is Nadine so _consistently_ the exception to the rule? She has something to say to everybody, anybody. And here she is in front of Nadine, speechless. Not even in a profound way. Simply out of words. So she just nods.

“I… my business is… it's my business. At least that's ah, what I'm used to.” Nadine frowns. She seems to be having trouble with her words. “Eish, I'm bad at this… Chloe, I… I'm not used to my business being yours too. Having a partner, having… _you_ .” She stops there, for just a moment, but panics when she's realized what she's implied. “As, _as_ a partner. Shit, sorry, I don't want to assume-- _Eish_ ,” she says again.

Chloe actually wants to smile. It's a small urge, and easily overcome by her anger. She has things to say before can be happy about what Nadine seems to want between them. “Nadine.” She seems to relax at not being called Ross. “You can assume. But dammit, you need to treat me like it if you do. Don't suddenly turn cold! You realize how that made me feel? My partner, my favourite goddamn person in the entire world suddenly wants nothing to do with me? It could not have been shittier!”

Nadine winces. “I know, I'm sor--”

“Let me finish! Those absolutely frigid weeks were not improved by you avoiding talking to me about this in front of your father! Or you saying your father is all you had! So I'm going to need a goddamned good reason why you don't want him to know about us-- assuming, mind you, that there is an us!” She crosses her arms and tries to look sufficiently put out. It's not hard. “If you can give me a good reason, fine. But if you are in any way ashamed of me, I swear to every god I know, I will leave you and never look back.” It hurts to admit it. But it’s the truth.

Nadine pales. “I--”

A gunshot sounds in the distance and both whip their heads in the direction. It's the opposite side of the derelict town from the canyon.

Nadine is in between her and the noise in half a second, braced and ready, despite the distance.

Chloe makes an annoyed sound, but motions towards it. “Come on. Let's go. We’ll finish this later.”

Nadine seems relieved. Had she thought Chloe wouldn't let her check it out? “Ja. We will.” It sounds suspiciously like a promise.

* * *

 

Thato gestures the pair down. They've found him on the edge of town, crouched behind a bit of half-fallen wall.

“Two of them,” he whispers.

There's a four by four, one from the camp, parked near an old shack. One man sits on the hood. The other is aiming down the sights of an old rifle. He fires another shot.

Chloe looks at the area he had shot at. There are more rocks formations down his sights, but she doesn't see anything noticeable to aim at.

“There were a few animals over there,” Thato fills in. “Rabbits, I think.”

Nadine frowns. “Hopefully not riverine. They're endangered.”

“Haven't landed a shot, so it shouldn't be a worry.” He shifts, just a bit, and glances at them. “Not sure if you've noticed, but something seems off.”

“Ja,” Nadine agrees. “They're acting like new recruits. Untrained and unprofessional.”

Chloe purses her lips. “What do you think it means, then? I'm a collector, not a military type. Can't read minds either.”

“Shoreline is in pieces, most likely,” Nadine responds. “In shambles still, from India, or run in poor leadership.” She stares out at the men. “I don't recognize either. They're probably new hires.”

Thato makes a decision for them. “Come on. Let's take them out.” He's talking more to Nadine now. He glances at Chloe. “You good sitting this out?”

She nods. “I don't mind watching the father-daughter teamwork. I'll admire from here.”

Both Ross's move into action at the same time. And this time, Chloe lets herself actually look at Nadine. With luck, things will be mended soon. She can spare a glance or two for the perfect curve of her partner’s ass or the definition of her biceps.

Besides, she really does want to forgive Nadine.

There's less anxiety about it now that they've talked a bit. It helps that they've put their cards on the table and admitted they feel more than friendly with each other. Things are a good deal more hopeful if Chloe avoids thinking about the possibility of Nadine being ashamed of her.

And sometimes she wonders if maybe she’s overreacting, but she has to tell herself she’s not. She’s sad. But her feelings matter and she needs to know Nadine’s actual feelings about her. Needs to know why she can’t be out in the open with it.

The shoreline boys don’t get to know what hits them. There are two distinctive cracks and they’re dead on the ground with broken necks.

Chloe heads over to them.

“Twenty four men left,” Thato states.

“At this rate, we’ll get through them in, what, five days? If my math is right.” They’ve killed six people just today, counting the ones right before Nadine showed up.

“Four,” Nadine responds. She goes a bit pale when she realizes she’s just corrected Chloe, which really isn’t the way to get back on her good side.

“How about,” Thato starts, grabbing their attention. “We kill them all tomorrow. Leave tomorrow evening.”

“What’s your plan?” Chloe is used to Ross levels of planning. She won’t even fight it as long as the plan gets her to a shower sooner rather than later.

“You two, go get some graze. Be ready. Make sure no one sneaks up on us. I’m getting a spot on the canyon edge. If they’ve any sort of routine, we can see it. Form a real plan based off that, take them out tomorrow.”

“Graze?” Chloe asks.

“Food.” Nadine shrugs. “I’ve got what we bought at the market, so it’ll be better than MREs. Biltong and what not.”

“Alright.”

“Good. I’m heading for the southeast edge, opposite where the path we,” he motions between himself and Chloe, “went. If you see any of Kosta’s men, you can find me there. But I doubt you’ll need my help to handle it.”

He heads off then, leaving the two alone.

Chloe has an exhausted look about her, but turns and takes her own path back to their little camp. Nadine is following behind her, silent as the stars.

There’s a lot to talk about, but she needs a few minutes. And food. Ever since Thato mentioned it, she’s realized she’s starving.

She goes for some of the dried fruit they’ve brought, as well as some of what Nadine had referred to as Biltong. It’s like jerky, but thicker. Tastes different too.

Nadine touches her arm. “Here, ah… Thought you might want this.”

She hands over a small ziploc bag. It’s trail mix. Chloe’s favourite trail mix. It’s chocolatey and there’s cinnamon and all together it’s very good.

She takes it, examining it for a moment. “You didn’t get this at the market.”

Nadine shakes her head, cheeks flushed a healthy pink. “I had it in my luggage. I… You always bring some on our flights and complain you ate it too fast so… I brought a backup.”

Chloe is touched by that. This feels more like her Nadine. They still have a lot to chat about, but this, this is the Nadine Chloe misses.

“Trying to get back in my good graces, huh?” Her tone is almost joking. It's off enough that Nadine knows there's still a lot to say.

“I… Yeah. Ja. I just… don't want to mess up worse and make you leave.”

Chloe takes a deep breath. “Nadine. Do you really think I’d still be here if I didn’t love you so terribly and stupidly much I can barely stand it? You know as well as I that I would’ve left if I _didn't_. But I do.”

Nadine says it again. “I’m sorry.” And again. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Obviously.”

“I wasn’t thinking and I said something I didn’t mean, I-- I just… Jammer. I’m used to being mostly alone. It’s been me and my dad my whole life. Gran passed when I was young and...” She frowns. “Listen, I’m not used to… to having you. Like I said. In any sense.”

Letting out a soft sigh, Chloe finds her words. “You’re not alone anymore. You… I’d do anything for you, and the fact you don’t seem to know that… It hurts, love.”

Her face falls. “I didn’t… I never wanted to hurt you.” She looks up at Chloe, eyes watering. “I--”

Her phone rings, cutting her off. Chloe scowls at it as Nadine pulls it out. Yet another distraction.

“Why do we keep getting interrupted?” comes the question in a hiss. “It's Jackson. Should I answer?”

Chloe rolls her eyes but motions to the phone. “Answer it. We’ll have this out eventually.”

So Nadine answers. Chloe gets half the conversation.

“What is it, Jackson? I'm trying to… talk. With Chloe.”

Chloe watches her turn bright red. Talk can mean a lot of things when phrased that way. Chloe’s not that lucky though.

“That's not what I meant,” she grumbles out. “Get to the point.” Nadine’s expression slips to confused then to a serious frown. She glances up at Chloe and softens a touch before looking away again. “Ja. Ja… No. Alive, last I knew. Not the smartest man I've met.”

There's another break. Chloe can hear Jackson on the other end, but she can't make out the words.

“If he-- then-- Alright. I know what's going on.” She huffs. “Thanks for the info. And… I'll try.”

She hangs up. “It's not Shoreline we’re against,” she announces.

The statement sidetracks Chloe. “What do you mean?”

“Knot, one of the men under my command, my third. Jackson just ran into him. He sold Shoreline-- what was left of it-- into another group. The name, the assets, the supplies… Some no-nonsense man took it and fired half the men. She found Knot looking for work.” Nadine motions toward the canyon, where their enemies lay asleep. “Them? They're the ones who got kicked. Too stupid or crazy or just plain unskilled. Which is saying something.” She laughs. “Kosta? Crazy. Same with Davy. The rest? Who cares. We can take them.”

Chloe raises an eyebrow, more amused than annoyed now. “That's all well and good, but maybe we can get back to what we were saying before?”

Nadine sobers a bit. “Chloe, I love you. I’m not ashamed of you, I’m just… an idiot. I thought… I thought if I hid some things, my father wouldn’t be able to tell how much you mean to me… And he wouldn’t be able to scare you off.”

“Scare me off?” She scowls. “You really think I can be scared off? You think… You think an opinion from an old man I don’t actually know-- not that your dad isn’t great, he really is. But you really think that I’d leave if he didn’t like me and acted up a bit?” She crosses her arms. “Nadine Ross, you know exactly how my mother is. No parent can be worse than her, so I really don’t see why you think your sweet old man could scare me off. He’s been nothing but respectful-- he wants us to make up!”

“Not… Not if he didn’t like you. It’s scarier that he likes you. He…” Nadine shrugs.  “He knows what I want someday. What I hope to have. He gets… excitable. I know you’re not… not always the commitment type. I didn’t want-- Eish.”

Chloe softens. “I stick with who matters. I _chase down_ who matters. As long as I think I matter to them. I don’t know if you do, but I certainly remember watching a certain someone drive away from me in the pouring rain and I still went after her.”

She looks away. “I think we’ve already established that I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot, you just. Ugh. Take some risks. What your dad says? It’s not going to make me think worse of you.” She runs a hand through her hair before letting her stance shift. “Now, if you could just hug me and promise not to do… the last two weeks to me again, I'd feel much better.”

Nadine wastes no time pulling Chloe in. “I promise,” she murmurs against Chloe’s shoulder.

Chloe sighs and melts into the hug. This is where she’s wanted to be all damn week. “Yeah, well… I'll tell your dad on you if you break it. I bet he’ll side with me.”

“He will, which makes it unfair.”

“Then don’t break your promise.” Chloe pulls away a bit to look Nadine in the face. “I can always change my mind about chasing you down. After all, Jackson seemed interested _and_ I’m still curious about her first name.”

“Her first name is Purna,” comes a swift answer.

Chloe chuckles. “You spoiled it. Guess I’ll have to stick with you now.”

“ _Please_.” Nadine’s tone is half serious, half joking.

“Speaking of spoiling things. What, by the way, is this whole garden thing your pops keeps mentioning?”

Nadine flushes a bit. “Ah. When I was young, I wasn’t great at meditation and managing… my mental state, I guess. But I’d help my gran garden. So he related to that. Tending the garden is… keeping my thoughts in line. Controlling my worries and weeding out the bad. Now it’s a sort of code to check up on me.”

“And he kept saying it because he could tell our little… lover’s spat, was worrying you?”

“Ja. It was pointless to try to hide how I feel about you. He knows me too well.”

“How is it then? Your garden?”

Nadine pulls Chloe back in and kisses her. “Much better,” she decides as they part.

Chloe revels in the feeling for a moment before forcing herself to pull away. “Alright, we need to stop before I do to you exactly what I want to. Besides, it’ll be better for both of us if we get a chance for an actual shower before we get to that point.”

“Agreed.”

“Let’s head back to your dad. Tell him what you found out about Shoreline. The sun’s starting to set anyway.” Chloe turns away, headed for Thato.

Nadine makes a quick move to pull her back in. All at once, she's holding her close again. She's solid and comforting and everything Chloe needs at the moment. “I love you,” Nadine whispers in close.

Chloe lets out a contented sigh. “I love you too, dearest.” And while she's happy where she is, she forces herself to pull away. “While I want nothing more than to be held for a while, it's hot and we really do need to check in with your dad. Give me a rain check on this, yeah? Call it punishment for the last two weeks.”

Frowning, Nadine nods. “Suppose that's fair.”

Thato takes the news well. The intel on the ragtag Shoreline outcasts, but his focus is on his daughter having made up with her partner. He claps Nadine on the shoulder and congratulates them.

He also shares with them the plan he's formed to take out the men in the ravine.

* * *

Thato’s plans are a good deal more exciting than Nadine’s tend to be, but admittedly, she and Chloe have never really been in this sort of situation before.

Chloe’s down for just about anything. She’s in a good mood this morning. It probably has something to do with waking up in Nadine’s arms. No better place to keep warm on a cold night in the desert.

And since she's down for anything, she dumps the last of the gasoline onto the car. Typically, Nadine tries to keep her away from flaming cars and just about anything easily flammable, but this time fire is part of the plan. They've siphoned gas out of one of the jeeps brought by the men who'd made to attack them. Right now the jeep is positioned right on the edge of the canyon, soaked in its own fuel, and Chloe is about to light it.

Another of the jeeps is on the edge of the dilapidated town, full of fuel and with a dead body in the driver's seat.

As soon as Chloe sees the signal, she'll put the car she's doused in neutral and light it. As it careens down into the camp, Nadine will get the other car going. It’ll head down past the opening and ideally, keep on as part of a distraction. With luck, they'll chase down the car that's leaving and leave fewer men at camp.

And that's when to strike.

The three will race down the side path Thato and Chloe had taken the previous day and attack from the other side of camp.

If all goes well, they’ll clean up the men left at camp and make a decent ambush for the others as they come back.

It’s planned out. It should really be all Chloe’s thinking about, but this is Chloe. So her thoughts are centered on the plan, but straying to the after. After the fight, after leaving the desert, after a long shower… When she can crawl into a real bed next to Nadine. And be held by Nadine. And, well… Do a lot of things _to_ Nadine.

She reigns her thoughts in. Her fantasies can be saved for when she can enact them.

An engine revs in the distance. That’s the signal.

Chloe hops in, jerks the car into neutral and hops out. The lighter in her hand coughs as she tries to light the car. Really the wrong time. It’d lit right up the first time she used it. It takes two more times, but as soon as there’s a flame, the jeep goes up in seconds. It’s already rolling away.

As much as she’d love to watch it fall, she only stays until it’s over the edge. And then she books it to the opening of the path. Thato is there, waiting.

“Hear any screaming yet?” she asks through her panting.

He laughs. “Nee. But my old ears aren’t what they used to be. Certainly heard the crash as it hit the bottom.”

Nadine comes running up. “Let’s go.”

“They fall for it?”

“Two four by fours and three motorcycles headed after it. We need to go now.”

“Right.”

Thato hands Chloe a long gun and takes point down the path. Chloe slips the strap over her shoulder and readies her handgun. It’s the same she’d taken from her guard after taking care of him.

Nadine takes the rear, which is a bit disappointing, as Nadine taking point would have afforded a great view.

Chloe really needs to steer herself away from bedroom thoughts, but damn, she can’t wait to be out of this desert.

“Do you think our hotel reservation is still good?” she whispers back to Nadine.

Nadine manages a chuckle. “No. But… my old bedroom will work. We’ll both fit on the bed.”

A scoff. “Why’d we bother with a hotel at all?”

“Ah…”

“Oh, right. You were busy being stupid.”

“... Ja.”

“Mm, you can make up for that.”

“Ladies, I am very happy-- _so_ happy you two are better now. But we should be quiet.” Thato dips his head to the end of the path which is coming up fast. They stop just before it, tucked away.

“Right. How long we keeping this quiet?”

“Until one of us is spotted. Keep low. There’s high grass to the left, around the back of some tents. Chloe, I want you around that way. Take out anyone you can.”

Nadine makes a sound of worry. “I’ll go with her--”

“Nee. You’re going around the right. It’s less cover but I know you can handle it.” He makes solid eye contact with her. She nods. Chloe is being sent the safest way, it seems.

“And you?”

Thato points forward. “Center.”

“Pops, I can take center. You go right.”

“Nee,” he says again. “I’ve got center.”

“Center is the greatest risk, I can take it. I’m in better shape too.”

He scoffs. “I take the path with the most risk. I’ve got the most experience. And I’m not about to let either of you take it.”

“How about,” Chloe starts. “We make a decision quick. I for one vote that whoever goes center doesn’t get hurt.”

Thato gives his daughter a hard look. “I go center. You go right.”

Nadine gives in. “Fine.” There’s something unspoken between them, something Chloe is certain has to do with her, but it’s not discussed.

“Move out.”

Thato and Nadine are much more precise than Chloe, but she doesn’t worry on it. She’s got experience where it matters, even if hers was “on the fly” learning and not structured military training.

Crouched in the tall grass, Chloe can see the smoke plume from the car she’d sent over the edge. From what she can tell, some of the men had tried to put out the fire, but given up. Two tents are burning, but they’ve saved the others.

“Think they’ve made a break for it?”  a man asks not far from her. “The old man and that bint of Ross’s?”

He’s answered by someone Chloe can’t see. “Bru, who else would it be? Wouldn’t be surprised if they met up after getting away. Probably know each other anyway.”

A man moves closer to where Chloe is hidden. It’s not one of the ones chatting, so she wraps an arm around his neck and drags him back into the grass. One less to worry about. She sees Thato do similar nearby. Judging by the last count, that leaves maybe twenty-two men left.

“Poor Junior though. Bad way to go, crushed by a falling car.”

“That’s who was in the tent? Eish. Thought it was Mosa.”

“Nah, Mosa disappeared yesterday. Probably got taken out by the old man. You think Tommy went with?”

This time there’s no response. Nadine’s work maybe? Brings the total down to twenty, knowing the car killed someone. But that’s just the ones she knows are left.

“Bru, where’d you go? You alright?”

The original speaker wanders closer to where she’s hidden and she pops out before he can find his friend’s body. He can’t even get a noise out before she’s blocked his airway and is tugging him into the grass. He struggles but a bit more pressure breaks his neck and his body drops lifelessly to the ground.

And just like that, there’s less than twenty left. And who knows how many are in camp. Any number could’ve gone after the corpse-driven car they’d sent off.

Chloe takes a couple grenades off the fresh body, but starts as Nadine materializes beside her.

“Jeez, China, you’re gonna give me a heart attack. What’s on?”

“Couldn’t get around that way. Had to double back. Pops knows I’m here.” She points down the way Chloe’s been heading. “Get further along and then double back if you can. There’s two in that tent there. I’ll take them out.”

“Be careful. Sure there’s only two?”

“Ja. Already got a glimpse.”

The sound of engines draws their attention. The vehicles that had been after their scapegoat car are back.

“Shit. Was hoping they’d be longer.” Nadine takes a steadying breath. “Stay hidden. I’ll be right back. Once the two in the tent are taken care of, we’ll find Pops.”

Chloe nods, but still moves down a ways to get a better view.

The others unload from their cars. “You’re back!” someone calls.

“Bait car,” another responds. Chloe recognizes it as Davy’s voice. “They propped Khayone up in the driver’s seat as distraction.” He appears out from behind one of the cars.

Chloe scowls. Her shotgun, that beautiful Hydra, is on his hip. That pisses her off. She didn’t even get to use it!

“That bint, Frazer, and Ross are probably hiding up there. No idea if the younger Ross knows where we are, but if she does, she’ll surely bring reinforcements.” The voice is from the other side of the far car. Kosta, maybe? He’s got some tone of authority. “We get everyone together now, clear it out.”

Thato appears beside her. “Where’s Nadine?”

“That tent,” she answers in a whisper.

“When she’s back, we’re going on the offensive. It sounds like they’re grouping up.” He gestures to the grenades on her hip. “We’ll need those.”

Chloe makes a soft sound of amusement. “And here I thought all the Ross’s would prefer to keep things quiet.”

“If the circumstances allow for it. How many have you taken out?”

“Two. Three if you count the man crushed by the four by four.”

Nadine reappears on the other side of Chloe. “What’s on?”

“How many from you?”

No hesitation in the reply. “Five.”

“Alright. There’s twelve left. Eight just came back from the chase.” Holds his hand out to Chloe, asking silently for a grenade. She passes it over. It’s handed to Nadine right away. “We take as many as we can with these. From there, it’ll be louder, but we can do this.”

“Bit loud, isn’t it?” Nadine comments. She’s got her eyes on the men around them. If any wander near, they're done for.

“We take them by surprise and end it.”

Nadine gives a sharp nod. “Alright.”

Chloe is almost surprised Nadine isn't fighting to keep their stealth. If Chloe had suggested the idea, it would have been vetoed right away. But Thato is Nadine's father. She trusts him as a commander. Chloe, she's more paranoid will greet hurt. It's endearing sometimes, but annoying at others.

“Ready those grenades.”

Chloe feels the weight of it in her palm. As a bit of a joke to herself, she brings up a bit of nostalgia. “Desperate times, right?”

Thato grins and looks to Nadine. “I like your maat.”

She sighs but smiles a moment later. “Me too.”

A better reaction than Nate’s all together.

His attention is back to Chloe. “Aim for the truck on the left. Nadine, the right. Us doing this will cause chaos. They’ll know we’re around, but they won’t know where. Stay alert, take out who you can.” He takes a deep breath. “On my signal.”

He makes his way to the edge of the grass, both women following close behind. One hand is raised to his side, ready to drop when they need to throw.

There’s a call, a sort of rally, of the men left at camp. “Gather up,” Kosta calls.

The men already present shuffle around a bit. No one joins the group. At a quick count, all twelve are there.

Kosta looks around. “Well? We left more of you here than this.”

The men in his command look at each other and shrug.

One speaks up. “I think one of them found an old path up to the village above us. Maybe they already headed for it?”

Realization shows in Kosta’s face just as Thato drops his hand. Like a well-oiled machine, Chloe and Nadine chuck their grenades into the group.

“Ross is here, we--” is all Kosta gets out before the first grenade, swiftly followed by the second, goes off.

The first lands under one of the vehicles and destroys it. It goes up in the air a few feet, taking the man seated on the hood with it. The second explosion takes two men at first sight and hits what Chloe must assume had been a propane tank and sends another man flying back. He’s moving, but he’s torn up a bit.

Kosta is knocked off his feet and gets up groaning. Davy isn’t far off, but he’s got a bad gash in his arm now.

“They’re here! Find them!” comes the shout.

As Thato predicted, chaos ensues. He actually laughs as he readies his gun. “Alright, ladies. They want a pehrer, we’ll bring it.”

He launched himself behind some cover, pops up, and sends a bullet into the chest of the man who’d been knocked back by the blast.

“There he is!”

“Dammit, pops,” Nadine hisses, but she follows his lead.

Chloe thinks it’s funny. But she joins in and sends a few shots with her pistol towards a man ducked behind a crate. “Darling, I think I like your old man!”

“Course you do.” It’s only just loud enough for Chloe to hear over the gunfire.

Thato is laughing again. “Been a while since I had a good fight! May as well have it loud!”

This whole deal reminds Chloe of India. The good parts of that job: fighting with Nadine at her side, kicking Asav’s ass together, pizza with Meenu…

Things feel good again. That’s what this is.

With renewed vigor, she goes after the men who want her, her girlfriend, and her girlfriend’s father dead. It’s familiar, muscle memory to be in a gunfight. Not something teenage Chloe had ever expected, but at least she made it this far.

Chloe watches Thato seemingly appear out of nowhere-- she hadn’t even seen him move away from his cover-- and clock Kosta across the face. Kosta stumbles but doesn’t go down. He swings at Thato who just barely dodges.

Nadine sees it happening and rushes to her father’s side.

That’s Kosta’s fate, sealed.

She keeps the fight on the periphery as she tries to take down the last of Kosta’s men. Not many are left. Chloe wants to find Davy and teach him what’s what for the comments he’d made when she’d been taken. She also wants her gun back. That damn shotgun is hers and she intends to keep it, if not use it herself.

She’s distracted again as Kosta goes down between the combined onslaught of the Ross’s. Thato finishes him with two quick shots to the skull.

A shotgun blast catches Chloe off guard and hits only just beside her, tearing a hole in the crate she’s behind. She swears and dodges away. The next shot just misses her.

“Can’t avoid me, bitch.”

Davy.

Chloe makes a dash away from him and tucks herself behind another bit of cover. “Alright,” she says to herself. “Nadine and Thato are on the other side of the camp, he’s got one more shot before he has to reload…”

Half a second later, another shot hits the side of her cover. Thinking to take advantage of him reloading, she pops out to fire off a few rounds of her own.

She’s hit full in the chest by his next shot.

She falls back, eyes wide in shock. Her mind races through thoughts from surprise to the realization he had reloaded before his third shot, all of it foggy with pain. Her breathing is labored. She touches the center of her chest and her fingers come back red with blood.

“You, bitch, can’t stop this.”

Chloe stares at him, best she can. Her vision swims. He’s right above her now. His badly broken nose is just as blurry as the rest of him. He levels the gun, her damn shotgun, at her face.

“But it’s a pity I couldn’t have fun with a fokken loskind like you.”

Before he can pull the trigger, there’s another blur bowling him over. And then Chloe can’t see them. She’s still laying there and staring up at the canyon walls and the blue sky above them.

“Alright, child, you’re alright.” Thato’s voice is gentle as he kneels by her. “Doesn’t look too bad. Must be painful, though.”

With his help, she sits up. It hurts like all hell. Her eyes fall on Nadine, beating Davy to a pulp, before she looks down at her front. There’s minimal blood on her front, thank the gods. Her shirt is shredded but only the center of the wound goes through to the skin. The rest had been stopped by the vest she’s got on under her shirt. The one Nadine had gotten from Jackson and insisted Chloe wear before they went after Kosta.

“Fuck, that sucked.”

Thato chuckles. “Ja, I’d say so.”

“You two clear the rest of the camp?”

He jerks his head towards where Davy is practically twitching after each blow Nadine rains down on him. “He’s the last.”

“Ah. Cool.” She takes in a shuddering breath and lets it out slow. “We’ve got painkillers, yeah?”

“Ja. I’ll grab some.”

She coughs and winces in pain. “Help me up first. Please.”

Once she’s up, she limps over to where Nadine is. “China… China. Nadine, you’re making wine at this point.”

Finally, Nadine stops. There’s blood on her hands, a bit splattered on her face. It’s on her shirt. “I-- He shot you. I thought-- And then he called you--” She grits her teeth and looks Chloe in the eyes. “I was scared.”

Chloe nods, manages a pained smile. “I know, dearest. But it’s all done now, yeah? We can finally head home. I think…. I think someone promised to make some things up to me. Maybe… Maybe we start with you grabbing my pretty shotgun out of that ugly corpse’s hands, and then… I think I need a nurse.”

* * *

“Easy there, China… It’s very… _very_ sore.” Chloe balls her fists, preparing herself for the next touch.

Nadine frowns, but lathers on arnica lotion as gently as she can. Chloe winces. “Sorry.”

“S’alright. I could be doing this myself, but I prefer you.” She sighs. “You know, the first time you saw me shirtless was supposed to be _magical_. Romantic. Sexy. But instead…” She swears and grabs the blankets hard. “Instead, I’m bruised to all hell and can’t enjoy you touching me.”

Mottled bruising covers her from a bit below her collarbone down to a bit above her navel. It’s darkening from a fresh red to a deep, ugly purple. It’s centered on the lower half of her sternum and spread out in random patterns. Damn Hydra had packed a punch. At the center of the bruise is a torn area that’s already scabbing over. It hadn’t gone deep due to the vest. Showering had been a hassle, but at least she was clean.

If she hadn’t been wearing a vest, she’d be dead.

The blues and purples go up the sides of her breasts too, and it’s a damned shame because she would love Nadine to lather attention on them. Not lotion. Well, maybe lotion, but regardless.

Nadine takes Chloe’s hand to give her something to squeeze. “I’ve got to put ointment over the open bits. Brace yourself.”

“I can’t-- fuck that hurts-- I can’t decide if you owe me even more because of this or… if this counts as making it up to me.”

“Thought you wanted me to be your nurse, eh?”  

“In a sexy way, not an “I'm in genuine pain” way.” She swears again and clings to her partner’s hand. “Do you even understand how much I like my breasts touched? And I’m certain you’d be amazing at it. The perfect mix of gentle and rough… Ugh.”

“You’ll have to wait a couple weeks to find out.” Nadine’s eyes have darkened a tad and her voice is low and husky. “I’m certain I could take care of you in other ways. Should you ask.”

“Mm, yes please.”

Nadine leans forward and kisses Chloe deep and hard. When they part a few moments later, she makes a promise. “As soon as I'm done treating your wounds. That cut on your leg needs attention.”

“Hm, maybe this does make up for the last couple weeks. As soon as you hit those _other_ ways, that is.” Chloe shifts and turns her leg so Nadine can pull off the bandage she’d fixed on it after it had happened.

Nadine peels it away and tossed the bloodstained scraps into the trash. “We’ll have to watch this one. Looks like it might get infected if we aren’t careful.” She sets to cleaning it and rebandaging it.

“It’ll be fine, I’m sure. Not the first time I’ve been cut up.”

“Ja, I know, but we still need to watch it.”

Chloe watches Nadine work, her own idle hands fidgeting. “You know, I never expected your dad to be so… well, like me, when it came to a gunfight.”

A scoff. “He used to be much more disciplined. He's softened with age.”

“That “drop a flaming truck on them” thing was pretty cool. We should do that more often. Almost feel bad for the man who was crushed under it.”

“We do _not_ need to do that again. How would we? We rarely have an opportunity to be above an enemy with a vehicle.”

“We can find a way! Best distraction I've ever seen! And then the bait car? Dearest, we had most of the ones at camp dead before they got back.”

Nadine rolls her eyes but keeps focus on the cut.

Chloe lays there, fingers gingerly tracing the edge of her bruise. “You know, he said I could call him Pops. Like you do.”

Nadine’s eyes flicker up to her. She grits her teeth and looks back to the wound. “Hm.”

“I think he might want me to stick around. With you.”

She mumbles something so soft that Chloe can’t hear it.

“What was that, dearest?”

“I want you to stick around too.”

Chloe chuckles. “I certainly intend to, what with you recently pulling your head out of your ass.”

Nadine looks up with a sheepish smile. “Going to hold that over me forever?”

“At least for the next week.”

“Fair.”

There’s silence for a long minute or two. It’s as Nadine is pressing the tape of the bandage down that Chloe speaks again. “Would you be okay with me calling him that? Or is it too weird?”

Nadine takes a deep breath in through her nose and lets it out through her mouth. “You’re the first girlfriend of mine he’s offered that to.”

“I’m honoured.”

“I… I guess I’m okay with it. It means he thinks of you as part of the family.”

“Doesn't mess up that garden of yours?”

She lets out a soft laugh. “No.”

Chloe examines Nadine’s face. Takes in every freckle, every little scar, the mole on her lip. If sitting up didn’t put her in so much pain, she’d be kissing her girlfriend instead of just staring at her. So she reaches out, snags at Nadine’s shirt and tugs at her. “Come here so I can kiss you.”

“Are you supposed to kiss your nurse? Thought it was unethical or whatever.”

“You’re my _sexy_ nurse, China. Sexy. You literally just offered to eat me out.”

A laugh. “And what if I was offering to finger you instead?”

“Nadine. One: I choose both options. Two: kiss me before I hurt myself trying to kiss you.”

Hearing that, Nadine moves in to kiss Chloe. She keeps it gentle and light, enough that it’s not too terrible parting again. “Pops will expect us for dinner. Afterward, we’ll get back to this, yeah?”

“Ugh. You’re a horrible tease. And now I have to put a shirt on? Pure torture.” She’s only half joking. Moving her arms too much pulls on her bruises.

Nadine sighs but contemplates it. “Alright, well… I’ll tell him we’ll join him for dinner tomorrow. I’ll grab us plates and we’ll eat in here so you don’t have to move too much.”

“You’re a godsend. You know that?” Chloe sighs, content. “Hey, China… ask me if I have any South African in me.”

Nadine blinks. She’s not sure where this is going. She’s not sure she wants to know.

“Uh… Do you have any South African in you?”

Chloe grins. “No, but I’d like to.”

She rubs her hands down her face. “I… I don’t know what I expected.” Despite herself, she laughs. “Ugh, that was horrible. I can’t believe you said that to me.”

“Oh, I can say so much worse. But we’ll get there eventually. Why don’t you go grab us dinner, love? And we can get to putting a little South African in me.”

Nadine is nearly at the door; food has to be done by now.  “Chloe, _please_ , stop saying that.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll think of more while you’re gone.”

She chuckles. “Can’t wait.”

**Author's Note:**

> and there it is! i'm glad i finally got this out. I reeeeeeeeeally need to update Flowered Up, and now i have no excuses.


End file.
